100 Jahre organisierter Amateurfunk in Südafrika
 
Am 20. Mai 2025 feiert die South African Radio League (SARL) ihr 100-jähriges Bestehen.
Anlässlich des 100-jährigen Jubiläums der SARL wird die SARL Centenary Marathon QSO Party, eine ganzjährige Veranstaltung durchgeführt,  die am Mittwoch, dem 1. Januar 2025, um 00:00 UTC beginnt und am Mittwoch, dem 31. Dezember 2025, um 23:59 UTC endet.

Celebrating one hundred years of organised amateur radio in South Africa

On 20 May 2025, the South African Radio League (SARL) celebrates its 100^th anniversary.

In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the SARL, the SARL Centenary Marathon QSO Party is set to kick off for a year-long operating event starting from 00:00 UTC on Wednesday 1 January 2025 and ending at 23:59 UTC on Wednesday 31 December 2025.

Participating amateur radio operators worldwide (including Short Wave Listeners) can accumulate points and win awards, by working South African amateur radio stations. 

During 2025, the SARL, with the aid of its members and associated clubs, will be on the air with a special event call sign ZS100SARL, as well as the permanent call signs ZS6SRL and ZS9HQ and other special event call signs.

To qualify for points all contacts must be two-way, using any legally allowed mode such as CW, Phone (FM, SSB, AM, digital voice), Digital (any digital mode, such as Amtor, Pactor, PSK modes, MT63, MFSK modes, Feld-Hell and RTTY) on 160, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2 meters, 70 and 23 centimetres as well as via satellites or repeaters.

Points are awarded for every unique South African amateur radio station (call sign) contacted, irrespective of band or mode, as follows:

• ZS100SARL, ZS9HQ and ZS6SRL = 5 points.

• ZS/ZR/ZT prefix (Class A) = 1 point.

• Special event call signs other than ZS100SARL = 2 points.

• ZU prefix (Class B) = 3 points (note that ZU stations are limited to 80, 40, 10 m (partial), 2 m and 70 cm).

(Please note that portable/mobile calls such as ZS9HQ/6, ZS6SRL/3 are considered as unique call signs).

As this is not a contest, contacts (QSOs) can be in any style or fashion preferred by participants. It is not necessary exchange anything other a signal report. 

The SARL Centenary Marathon QSO Party is scored by totalling the values of all eligible contacts (QSOs). 

As this is an honour-based event, to be eligible for any of these awards, applications must be made using the MS-EXCEL format check sheet to record and track progress. This check sheet will serve as the final claim form and is available from the SARL website, to be submitted by email as an attachment to sarlcentenary@gmail.com by not later than 23:59 UTC on Saturday 31 January 2026.

A valid logged QSO must at least indicate the following:

• Date of QSO

• Time of QSO (UTC)

• Call sign of operator

• Call sign of South African station contacted

• Band used (Frequency is not required. Satellite QSO: SAT-name of satellite e.g. QO-100 SAT)

• Mode used

• Signal report received

The Awards are available for SWLs—where the rules stipulate contacts please read as reception reports for SWL claims.

Please note that the SARL Awards Committee reserves the right to verify claims by reference to operating logs or any other resource and may request further details from an applicant to confirm or validate claimed QSOs.

Awards available:

Award certificates will only be available in electronic (PDF) format sent to the applicant via e-mail. No endorsements for single modes or bands are available.